Riviera Maya has sports, cultural, and food activities of every kind. Only one thing was missing, and now it’s here too: a Cirque du Soleil show.
Joyá is Cirque du Soleil’s only resident show in all of Latin America. In other words, it’s a permanent show and you can go see it whenever you want. You don’t have to plan your trip around specific performance dates.
Joyá mixes performing arts with a pretty special food experience, because certain ticket types come with a gourmet dinner before the show. Honestly, I can’t think of a better plan if you’re traveling as a couple or with kids.
Story and plot of Joyá
Cirque du Soleil pulls the inspiration for its shows from all kinds of unexpected places. This time they looked to the migration of the monarch butterfly to explore legacy, tradition, and one generation handing things down to the next.
I know, it sounds a little strange put like that. On stage, it plays out as the story of Joyá, a teenage girl, and her alchemist grandfather, who are searching for the secrets of life. Joyá has to venture into a magical jungle, where she’s guided by creatures that are half human, half animal.
Where Joyá is performed and how to get there
To see Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ in the Riviera Maya, you have to head to the Teatro Cirque du Soleil, which sits inside the Vidanta Riviera Maya resort complex. It sounds confusing on paper, but it’s easy once someone walks you through it:
Vidanta Riviera Maya is a big complex with several Vidanta hotels (all of them high-end), a golf course, and a lot more. The Teatro Cirque du Soleil was built inside it specifically for this show. The theater has its own entrance, separate from the hotels, so you don’t need to be staying at the resort to go.
Vidanta Riviera Maya is between Tulum and Cancun, very close to Puerto Morelos. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Playa del Carmen and around 45 minutes from Cancun.
You can get there by rental car, Uber, or taxi on the Tulum-Cancun highway. Another option is the buses Cirque du Soleil runs for the show. You can catch them at Plaza La Isla (Cancun) or Playacar Center (Playa del Carmen). You can add the bus when you buy your tickets.
Types of tickets and duration:
The show runs 80 minutes with no intermission. If you go for the experience with dinner before the show, plan on 2 hours and 20 minutes in total.
There are a few different ticket types:
- Show only: Just your ticket to the show, nothing else.
- Show and champagne: You get a bottle of champagne to enjoy during the show.
- Dinner, show, and champagne: Includes a three-course gourmet dinner before the show, the show itself, and a bottle of champagne.
- VIP: You get preferred seating, gourmet dinner, unlimited champagne, and other perks during the show.
You can also buy popcorn and drinks during the show, but those cost extra.
Heads up: the dinner isn’t just dinner. It’s an immersive experience with music, and some of the Cirque du Soleil artists come by to interact with you and pull you into the show little by little.
Other useful information:
- Joyá runs Tuesday through Saturday, with showtimes at 6:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:15 PM, depending on the day.
- It’s a family show, and kids enjoy it just fine. That said, it’s 80 minutes straight, with very intense lights and loud music, so I wouldn’t take very young kids. Kids 3 and older need their own ticket.
- There are vegan dinner options if you need them.
- Professional cameras aren’t allowed during the show, but you can take photos and short videos with your phone as long as you don’t use the flash.
- When you arrive at the venue, you’ll run into some characters who welcome everyone and start pulling you into the experience. Try to get there early so you have time to enjoy them.
Like everything Cirque du Soleil does, Joyá is incredible, and even more so as a resident show in a spot as special as Vidanta Riviera Maya. If you’re in the area, treat yourself and go see it. And if you do, come back and tell me in the comments how it went.
